Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B27/00—Layered products comprising a layer of synthetic resin
  • B32B27/32—Layered products comprising a layer of synthetic resin comprising polyolefins
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L13/00—Implements for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings
  • A47L13/10—Scrubbing; Scouring; Cleaning; Polishing
  • A47L13/16—Cloths; Pads; Sponges
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L25/00—Domestic cleaning devices not provided for in other groups of this subclass 
  • A47L25/08—Pads or the like for cleaning clothes
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B27/00—Layered products comprising a layer of synthetic resin
  • B32B27/12—Layered products comprising a layer of synthetic resin next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B5/00—Layered products characterised by the non- homogeneity or physical structure, i.e. comprising a fibrous, filamentary, particulate or foam layer; Layered products characterised by having a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts
  • B32B5/02—Layered products characterised by the non- homogeneity or physical structure, i.e. comprising a fibrous, filamentary, particulate or foam layer; Layered products characterised by having a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts characterised by structural features of a fibrous or filamentary layer
  • B32B5/022—Non-woven fabric
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B5/00—Layered products characterised by the non- homogeneity or physical structure, i.e. comprising a fibrous, filamentary, particulate or foam layer; Layered products characterised by having a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts
  • B32B5/22—Layered products characterised by the non- homogeneity or physical structure, i.e. comprising a fibrous, filamentary, particulate or foam layer; Layered products characterised by having a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts characterised by the presence of two or more layers which are next to each other and are fibrous, filamentary, formed of particles or foamed
  • B32B5/24—Layered products characterised by the non- homogeneity or physical structure, i.e. comprising a fibrous, filamentary, particulate or foam layer; Layered products characterised by having a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts characterised by the presence of two or more layers which are next to each other and are fibrous, filamentary, formed of particles or foamed one layer being a fibrous or filamentary layer
  • B32B5/26—Layered products characterised by the non- homogeneity or physical structure, i.e. comprising a fibrous, filamentary, particulate or foam layer; Layered products characterised by having a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts characterised by the presence of two or more layers which are next to each other and are fibrous, filamentary, formed of particles or foamed one layer being a fibrous or filamentary layer another layer next to it also being fibrous or filamentary
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B2262/00—Composition or structural features of fibres which form a fibrous or filamentary layer or are present as additives
  • B32B2262/02—Synthetic macromolecular fibres
  • B32B2262/0253—Polyolefin fibres
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B2307/00—Properties of the layers or laminate
  • B32B2307/70—Other properties
  • B32B2307/72—Density
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B2307/00—Properties of the layers or laminate
  • B32B2307/70—Other properties
  • B32B2307/726—Permeability to liquids, absorption
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B2307/00—Properties of the layers or laminate
  • B32B2307/70—Other properties
  • B32B2307/726—Permeability to liquids, absorption
  • B32B2307/7265—Non-permeable
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B2307/00—Properties of the layers or laminate
  • B32B2307/70—Other properties
  • B32B2307/73—Hydrophobic
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B2432/00—Cleaning articles, e.g. mops, wipes

Definitions

• This invention relates to cleaning wipe.
• Cleaning wipes are commonly available. They are typically used for cleaning hard surfaces, e.g. kitchen/bathroom floors and work surfaces and also for textile surfaces such as clothing/fabric.
• the cleaning wipes may be impregnated with a cleaning formulation or may consist entirely of an absorbent material.
• cellulose based materials are used for wipes. These materials are acceptable in that they provide a fair level of absorbency at low cost. However, at their typical thickness cellulose based wipes can suffer from integrity issues, especially when being rubbed vigorously on a surface, particularly a rough surface such as a carpet.
• cellulose materials present a number of limitations in both the amount and nature of the material being used.
• cellulose has a high level of absorbency of standard (e.g. aqueous) cleaning compositions, it only permits a low level of the absorbed cleaning formulation to be released from the wipe.
• cellulose does not exhibit a high level of stability against some of the agents used in cleaning formulations, particularly bleaches such as peroxide (e.g. hydrogen peroxide) based bleaches.
• bleaches such as peroxide (e.g. hydrogen peroxide) based bleaches.
• cellulose wipe has been impregnated with a detergent formulation, which is potentially harmful for a user, it does not offer any protection for the user against the formulation. This means that care must be taken and, for example, protective clothing must be used.
• a laminated wipe comprising an absorbent layer, an upper impermeable layer and a lower permeable layer.
• the absorption layer is a micro-fibre.
• Suitable materials for use in the micro-fibre include poly-propylene.
• micro-fibre material particularly a polypropylene micro-fibre material
• a micro-fibre material is advantageous. It is theorised that this is due to the way in which the micro-fibre material is able to absorb a fluid.
• This absorption is believed to be purely physical in nature such that an absorbed fluid is absorbed into the pores within the micro-fibre.
• This kind of absorption is advantageous in that there is no interaction between the micro-fibre material and the fluid being absorbed, with the effects that a very high proportion (e.g. almost 100%) of the absorbed material can be removed from the micro-fibre easily, e.g. by physical interaction.
• the soiled cleaning formulation can be highly effectively withdrawn back into the absorbent layer (without fear of re-deposition, and connected problems such as spreading) layer since it has a high level or absorbency. It is further postulated that the presence of the lower permeable layer also aids the absorption process.
• the lower layer is a non-woven web.
• the non-woven web comprises an inert material such as a plastics composition. This reduces the amount of detrimental interaction between the absorbed fluid and the micro-fibre.
• Suitable materials for use in the lower layer include polypropylene.
• Non-woven webs for the lower layer have been found to be ideally suited to this purpose. It is contemplated that these advantageous properties are connected with the hydrophobic nature of the web comprising material.
• the web comprises a hydrophobic material and since most cleaning formulations/stain are hydrophilic (e.g. aqueous) in nature the web provides a barrier to transport of the cleaning formulations/stain across the web, meaning that the cleaning formulations/stain cannot pass through the web without some form of physical influence being applied to the web.
• the lower layer may be modified such that it is made abrasive.
• the upper layer comprises impermeable layer of polyethylene.
• the wipe is extremely “user-friendly” in that a user is able to employ the wipe in a cleaning operation without being brought into contact with the cleaning formulation or with components of the stain
• the absorption layer contains a detergent composition.
• the absorption layer preferably contains around 20-800 g, more preferably 50-750 g, more preferably 100-750 g, and most preferably 300-750 g detergent composition per square metre.
• the detergent cleaning composition comprises an admixture of one or more of the following components; surfactant (anionic, cationic, zwitterionic, non-ionic), bleach, bleach activator, solvent, enzyme, dye, preservative, builder, fragrance, thickener, pH adjusting agent, anti-microbial agent.
• surfactant anionic, cationic, zwitterionic, non-ionic
• the detergent composition is a liquid. Generally the composition is free of suspended particles.
• a preferred example of a carpet cleaning formulation is below:—
• a preferred example of a hard surface cleaning formulation is below:—
• the wipe itself has a density of 10-500 g per square metre, more preferably 100-400 g per square metre.
• the upper layer is preferably 10-200 g/m 2 .
• the absorption layer is preferably 10-400 g/m 2 .
• the lower layer is preferably 10-200 g/m 2 .
• the wipe is in the form of a simple planar sheet.
• the wipe is in the form of a glove, intended to be fitted onto/over a hand of a user.
• the wipe is constructed such that it has an additional sheet of material attached thereto [to the upper impermeable layer], wherein between the wipe and the additional sheet there is a space to accommodate a user's hand.
• the space may be tailored such that it has finger spaces to fit a hand.
• the wipe may have an associated handle to facilitate gripping by a user.
• suitable forms of the handle include a band of material attached to two or more points of the wipe [to the upper impermeable layer], wherein between the wipe and the band there is a space to accommodate a user's hand or a portion of a hand.
• the additional sheet/handle may be attached to the wipe by any common attachment method such as by glue, welding or by being sewn to the wipe.
• the additional sheet/handle preferably comprises an inert material such as a polyolefin, e.g. polyethylene.
• a laminated wipe in accordance with the first aspect of the invention for treating a stain on a surface.
• the stain treatment method may involve a mechanical action provided by a user, such as a wiping or scrubbing motion. Such methods are particularly suitable for “instant” stain treatment, where the user addresses and completely removes a stain in a single operation.
• the wipe according to the first aspect of the invention has excellent cleaning formulation absorbency, so much so that a cleaning formulation may not be released from the wipe unless some sort of mechanical agitation (e.g. twisting or application of pressure) is applied.
• some sort of mechanical agitation e.g. twisting or application of pressure
• the wipe affords a different method of stain treatment which involves the application/release of pressure.
• a user may apply pressure to an upper surface of the wipe, when the wipe is located upon a stain to be treated. By doing so the wipe is able to release a cleaning formulation onto the stain.
• the wipe is able to draw the cleaning formulation (and the treated stain) back into itself.
• the lower non-woven layer acts as a highly effective filter: allowing non-contaminated detergent formulation to leave the wipe and contact the stain but not permitting any/only permitting a very small portion of the stain to be re-deposited from the wipe onto the area being treated. This is particularly true of greasy stains such as motor oil.
• the wipe may be left on the surface being treated. In this way the user may be freed up to attend to other household duties whilst the stain is being ameliorated.
• the wipe can have a two-fold action in this regard. Firstly the wipe is able to provide a moisture barrier to the upper surface of the satin. This is important in that such a barrier prevents drying/oxidation or other action which, if untreated, normally allow the stain to become more difficult to remove or causes irreparable dame to the surface being treated. Secondly, a small amount of cleaning formulation can be mechanically removed from the wipe so that the cleaning operation can begin without the user the present.
• the wipe could be left on a stain to be treated for a period of from 2-24 hours before the user has to return top the stain and complete the cleaning operation.
• the wipe is for use in cleaning fibrous surfaces, such as a carpet or an item of clothing.
• the wipe is for use in cleaning a hard surface such as a kitchen work surface or hard floor (e.g. a wooden/ceramic/plastic) floor.
• a hard surface such as a kitchen work surface or hard floor (e.g. a wooden/ceramic/plastic) floor.
• the wipe is used by being manually grasped by a user and applied to the surface being addressed. It is also possible that the wipe may be used with an implement, and retained on same. Suitable implements include mops, preferably mops which retain the wipe in a flat orientation.
• Wipe Composition a) Upper Layer: Polyethylene Film, 18 g/m 2 ; b) Absorbent Layer: Polypropylene Microfiber, 200 g/m 2 ; c) Lower Layer: Polypropylene Nonwoven, 15 g/m 2 .
• Wipe Composition a) Upper Layer: Polyethylene Film, 18 g/m 2 ; b) Absorbent Layer: Polypropylene Microfiber, 200 g/m 2 ; c) Lower Layer: Polypropylene Nonwoven with abrasive particles, 20 g/m 2
• the test was conducted using standard soils on a carpet sample [15 cm ⁇ 15 cm] and the wipes from Example 1.
• Grape Food Red Wine Juice Coffee Tomato DMO Grease RESOLVE 84.44 82.99 79.11 61.03 38.58 50.08 Smooth 87.20 82.62 88.26 62.36 47.99 68.77 Abrasive 92.15 83.04 88.96 70.76 50.09 75.76

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Textile Engineering (AREA)
• Cleaning Implements For Floors, Carpets, Furniture, Walls, And The Like (AREA)
• Cosmetics (AREA)
• Materials For Medical Uses (AREA)
• Laminated Bodies (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=38050638

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Cited By (3)

Families Citing this family (2)

Citations (16)

Family Cites Families (3)

• 2007
  • 2007-03-31 GB GBGB0706343.1A patent/GB0706343D0/en not_active Ceased
• 2008
  • 2008-03-31 WO PCT/GB2008/001145 patent/WO2008119990A2/fr active Application Filing
  • 2008-03-31 EP EP08736873A patent/EP2144751A2/fr not_active Withdrawn
  • 2008-03-31 US US12/593,358 patent/US20100206327A1/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (34)

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